Friday, June 09, 2006

Lamont Shown Gaining GroundBy MARK PAZNIOKAS Courant Staff WriterJ une 9 2006 NEW HAVEN --A new poll shows a dramatic tightening in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, indicating that Democrats increasingly see newcomer Ned Lamont as a credible challenger to Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman.The Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday found Lieberman's lead shrinking nearly by half in the past month, with voter anger toward the three-term senator trumping unfamiliarity with Lamont, a Greenwich businessman.Lieberman leads Lamont among all Democrats, 57 percent to 32 percent, compared with 65 percent to 19 percent on May 2. Among Democrats judged likely to vote, Lamont has closed to within 15 percentage points, 55 percent to 40 percent.One-fifth of those who oppose Lieberman cite his support for the war in Iraq as the primary reason. Connecticut voters overwhelmingly disapprove of President Bush's handling of the war, 73 percent to 23 percent."I'm in this race because I think George Bush's priorities are absolutely wrong, and if Joe Lieberman doesn't want to challenge him, I will," Lamont told supporters at a crowded, celebratory rally at the Omni Hotel in New Haven.With most voters still largely unfamiliar with Lamont, 78 percent of his supporters described their position as more anti-Lieberman than pro-Lamont, a finding not challenged at the rally."If there was not a Lieberman problem, would they be looking at Ned Lamont? No way," said Vivien Blackford, whose dislike of President Bush turned her into a passionate supporter of Howard Dean for president in 2004.Blackford's fundraising for Dean led her to join Democracy for America, the group that Dean founded to promote progressive Democrats. She is now actively backing Lamont, despite initially hoping for a "red-meat union guy," not a millionaire, to challenge Lieberman.Tom Swan, Lamont's campaign manager, said he was neither surprised nor distressed that the poll found more anger toward Lieberman than affection for Lamont. It is a common dynamic, he said....